Change
by orangana
Summary: Life hasn't gone the way Claire thought it would when she was a teenager, so she's decided to make big plans for her 25th birthday. What will her future hold after today?


**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

"Oliver!" I shouted as I walked into a seemingly empty Common Grounds. Normally, there would have been a few customers at the coffee shop in the late afternoon, but luck was on my side today and no one else was there. Looking around, I realized not much had changed over the years, with the exception of Oliver. He'd become a good friend of mine, much to our mutual surprise.

Our friendship had been unexpected, to put it mildly. After Shane and I broke up a few years ago, I found myself in need of a drinking buddy. Eve and Michael were too happy for me to feel comfortable bringing them down with my heartache, so I looked for someone else's shoulder to cry on and found that in Oliver. Even now, after nearly four years, Oliver and I have a strictly platonic friendship, though Eve still has her doubts.

Eventually, we were able to drag Myrnin out of the lab and into our shenanigans. Myrnin and Oliver were pretty wild together when they had too much to drink. The first time we all went out for a karaoke night, Myrnin sang 'I Wanna Sex You Up' to Oliver, which had Oliver angry enough to fight Myrnin right there on the stage.

In the beginning, I had been unsure of spending time with Myrnin outside the lab since things were a little awkward for awhile. He'd seemed to have romantic expectations when I was newly single but backed off when I didn't respond to his advances. It wasn't that I wasn't interested, quite the opposite to be honest, but I didn't want to use him as a rebound.

Keeping him at arm's length hadn't worked, though. I'm not sure when it happened, but one day I realized I couldn't see myself with anyone except Myrnin. My love for him had blossomed into something much more than it ever had been before.

Eventually, we fell into a friendly relationship with enough sexual tension to choke the oxygen out of the air. I hoped to change that soon.

My wandering thoughts were halted as Oliver came from the back room. "Good afternoon, Claire. You only need a coffee for yourself or one for the lunatic also?"

"I'll take one for Myrnin, too. Last time I showed up without a coffee for him, he whined for days." I answered as I made my way over to pay for the beverages. "Did Eve work today?"

Oliver's motions were a blur as he moved vamp speed to make the drinks. "No, she said her ankles are too swollen to stand throughout her shift. She probably won't be working until after the baby comes."

With each year that passed, it seemed my friend's lives were becoming more different than mine. After graduating from TPU, I'd delved into all things alchemy with Myrnin while others around me lived a normal, human life. Michael and Eve expected their first child to come into this world in two weeks. Even Shane and his wife were expecting another baby.

The announcement of their first child had stung nearly as much as their marriage, but I've since accepted it and am happy for Shane. Time had marched on when I thought I would die of despair, forcing me to find contentment in a life without him. I'd found strength to stand on my own as I focused on achieving my greatest accomplishment yet, replicating human blood.

Being on my own the past few years had been an unexpected gift, granting me time to figure out who I was and what I wanted. I had never before noticed how dependent I was on others. So much of my time was spent swooning over the boy I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with that I lost focus of my dreams. Without those distractions, I became an accomplished scientist with goals for the future that I could attain without relying on others.

"Here you go," Oliver said as he handed me the coffees, drawing my attention back to reality again. "Do you have plans for tonight? I know you young humans care for things such as birthdays."

"Aw how sweet of you to remember, Ollie." I mocked sweetly, earning an eye roll from him. "Yeah, I have plans."

He looked at me expectantly but I just smiled and waved goodbye. No need to give myself bad luck by saying my plans out loud too soon.

I took my time walking to Myrnin's, simply enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun on my skin. If all things went according to plan, today would be the last time I could enjoy the sunlight for a very long time.

This decision had been a long time in the making. I knew my life wasn't meant to be ordinary, growing old with someone, having babies and dying. Though I had wanted all of that at one time, I had grown out of those desires and simply thirsted to learn everything I could. What better way to dedicate myself to obtaining knowledge than to give myself eternity to do it?

My epiphany came a few weeks ago. While dressing to go out one night, I noticed the first laugh lines around my eyes. The lines themselves didn't bother me, it wasn't as if I looked like a wrinkled old woman, but it made me realize my life could be half way over. What if I died young of some disease? Even if I lived to a ripe old age of eighty-nine, would my mind survive that long, or would I slowly lose the gift of my intellect?

Myrnin had offered to change me several times. Although it had been while since he'd last brought it up, I planned to take him up on that offer today. Twenty five years after the day I was born as a human, I'd be reborn as a vampire.

XXXXX

"Hey, Myr," I called out as I descended the same rickety steps I'd taken for the past 9 years.

"Hello, dear," Myrnin said as he emerged from wherever he'd been hiding. My heart rate picked up at the sight of him with his usual mismatched clothes and fanged bunny slippers. I did my best to calm myself but excitement for tonight made it difficult.

"I brought you a coffee." I said as I dropped my bag on the couch and crossed the room to hand him the cup. His eyes lit up with excitement as he took the cup and put it to his lips.

While his focus was on the drink, I took my time checking out the handsome vampire before me. His perfectly smooth skin, soft curly hair and full lips had my mind running wild. I knew he had a perfectly shaped body hidden beneath his ridiculous clothes, though I'd only caught glimpses of it. Maybe soon I'd get to see all of it.

After a moment, I realized he had lowered the cup and was now watching me stare at him. A knowing smirk formed on his lips, making me blush deeply and turn away. Trying to change the subject, I said, "Was Amelie satisfied with the blood samples?"

"Of course she was. I would expect nothing less. Your process of reproducing blood is impeccable."

I knew that. I just liked to hear him say it.

I must have stood quietly in thought a little too long because Myrnin asked, "Are you alright today, Claire? You are acting a bit strange."

Shit. I wasn't doing a good job of acting normal. My plan had been to ease into the conversation at some point later in the day. I could tell him part of the plan for now.

"I wanted to invite you over for dinner later." I said, suddenly feeling shy and unsure. What if this didn't go over well? What if he'd changed his mind about wanting to turn me and said no tonight?

His face lit up with a smile, showing off the beauty of his face. "That would be lovely."

Looking shy suddenly, he shoved his hand in his pocket to pull something out and thrust it towards me. "This is for you," he said, hardly meeting my eyes.

I opened my hand and a piece of jewelry fell into my open palm. The necklace looked like pure white gold. It had a small chain that held a little bird with its wings open as if in flight. "Oh, Myrnin, it's beautiful. Where did you find something like this?"

"There were no suitable gifts for you here in Morganville, so I made one. The little bird has a heart of diamond, just like you, Cariad."

His words brought tears to my eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder if his words were literal. Knowing him, they probably were. The most valuable part of the gift was likely hidden inside. Beneath Myrnin's eccentric behavior, there was a depth that few people witnessed. I knew my decision to spend eternity with him was right.

"Put it on me?" I asked taking a step closer to him as I lifted my hair off my neck. He took the necklace and secured it, but didn't move away from me. His hands moved slowly from my neck down to my arms, leaving a tingling trail in their wake.

Myrnin gazed into my eyes as if trying to convey some unspoken emotion before he started to say, "I know you don't –"

I cut him off by pressing my lips to his. I knew where he was going with that and it was completely untrue. Once his initial shock passed, he returned my kiss fervently. Our lips moved together, his cool tongue danced with mine as the kiss deepened with the emotion we'd kept bottled up for so long.

We made our way over to the couch where I found myself straddling his lap with his shirt unbuttoned for my hands to explore the expanse of his chest. Through the haze of my lust, a thought slipped in reminding me that I had other things to finish before tonight if I wanted to accomplish my plans. It was hard to think, though, with Myrnin's hands under my shirt massaging my breasts.

I broke away from his mouth and leaned towards his ear where I nibbled on his ear lobe as I whispered, "Tonight we can finish this but I have things to do this afternoon that can't wait."

A frustrated growl was the only response I got, so I leaned back to look at Myrnin. His eyes had changed to red, but he didn't look hungry for blood. An entirely different carnal desire had overtaken him.

He closed his eyes in an attempt to get himself under control. I placed a chaste kiss to his lips and again whispered, "Tonight", as I stood up to leave before he decided not to let me.

If he changed his mind now, I would never get to talk to Amelie.

XXXX

"Absolutely not, Claire," Amelie said sternly, truly looking like the ice queen as she stood staring out the window behind her desk, "I cannot allow another vampire to be made at this time."

Her abrupt refusal surprised me. For years, she's told me I would make an excellent vampire. Why would she deny me now? When I asked as much, Amelie finally turned to look at me saying, "You are valuable enough as you are now. I won't risk turning you."

"How is it a risk at all?" I demanded. My voice started rising with my irritation at her senseless logic. Standing from my seat, I moved around the desk to stand beside Amelie. "Bishop's disease was cured long ago and there is no longer the issue of having enough blood to sustain the vampire population. I don't want to die in a few short decades! There is too much to accomplish in such a short time."

Amelie simply stared at me as seconds ticked by slowly, feeling like hours. I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she considered everything I hadn't said. She knew I was only asking her permission as a courtesy and couldn't stop me from doing this without imprisoning me. Finally, she said, "I assume your intention is for Myrnin to turn you?"

I dropped my eyes and felt a slight blush rising on my cheeks as I said, "It's not only the gift of turning me that I plan to give him."

"I suspected as much."

Then it hit me. She wasn't against me being turned. She was against me being subservient to someone else.

I looked at her again and waited until her gaze met mine before saying, "We won't be leaving you, Amelie. I will pledge fealty to you and stay here in Morganville."

Though her expression remained passive, I could see the relief in her eyes. With a small nod she said, "That is acceptable, though you should know you won't be staying in Morganville."

"What?"

"My time here is nearly finished. I plan to move on to a new location where I will establish another refuge for our people. There will be a capable vampire left behind to manage the affairs here but you and Myrnin will be coming with me."

This news shocked but excited me, until I realized Eve and Michael likely wouldn't be leaving with us. Amelie must have followed my thoughts because she said, "It will be a few more years before I'm prepared to leave. You will have time with your human friends."

I couldn't contain myself as I smiled excitedly and pulled Amelie into a hug. She was stiff at first but relaxed slightly and patted my back in what I assumed was her form of returning the embrace.

XXXXXX

Eve pinned the last few strands of hair in place before lowering herself slowly into the chair next to mine at the kitchen table. I'd brought all the hair supplies downstairs to the kitchen table so she wouldn't have to haul her giant pregnant belly upstairs.

"You look beautiful, Claire." She said as she reached over to rearrange a hair that probably wasn't even out of place. "Where are you off to tonight? Are you and Oliver going somewhere? We need to have a belated girl's-night-out-birthday-bash once this baby girl is here."

I couldn't help but smile at Eve as I took in the sight of my long time friend. She'd dropped most of the Gothica look a couple of years ago but still wore heavy eyeliner and kept her hair colored dark black. Pregnancy had hardly slowed her down until the last few weeks when she constantly felt off balance.

"Actually, Myrnin is coming over here." I said trying for nonchalant but my blushing gave me away.

"Ooooo, CB! Are you finally gonna put it on that vamp? It's about time! Last time we were all out, I was ready to lock you two in a closet and not let you out until the deed was done."

Covering my face with my hands, I groaned, "Eve! You're so embarrassing!"

Laughing loudly, she looked at me with mischief in her eyes, "I'm right, though, aren't I?"

When I did respond, she let out a victory yell while pumping fist in the air as if she had won something. I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Seriously, Eve, there's something I need to tell you."

Her expression sobered into a look of concern as she reached forward to place a hand on my knee asking, "What is it?"

I took a deep breath to steady myself before saying, "I'm going over to the other side. I'll be a vampire tonight."

Eve looked a little confused, and then shocked me by saying, "That's it? That's the big news? I expected something spectacular! We all knew you'd be a blood sucker sooner or later." She finished with a shrug like it was no big deal.

"So, it doesn't bother you at all?" I asked unsure of what else to say.

"Of course not! I'll love you no matter what you are. Just don't go trying to bite me and we'll be all good."

We talked for awhile about things she needed to get done before the baby came and told me how nervous Michael is. She laughed at him but I could tell she was nervous, too. I almost told her I'd be leaving Morganville one day but decided against it. They already had enough going on in their lives to worry about that right now.

She hugged me tightly before leaving and picked on me again saying she would tell Michael the 'big news' using her fingers to make quotation marks.

As soon as she was out the door, my stomach fluttered in excitement. Myrnin would be here soon.

XXXXXX

I felt the portal open and turned just in time to see Myrnin step through into my living room. My jaw dropped when I noticed his outfit. He actually matched. The olive colored v-neck shirt accentuated his muscular chest in a way I'd never seen before on him and his modern-looking jeans looked new. He even had on real shoes. There was no way I'd believe he dressed himself.

Misunderstanding my ogling, he gestured towards his whole body and with a look of distress said, "It looks bad, doesn't it? I told Amelie this was a bad idea. She stopped by uninvited and insisted I wear this retched outfit, forbidding me from wearing the clothes I had on earlier."

My feet had a mind of their own as I crossed the room to stand in front of him while he babbled on. I placed an open hand on his chest, still too shocked to believe it was actually Myrnin standing here looking so _normal_. I'd have to thank Amelie later. "You look very handsome."

His tirade stopped as soon as my words registered and he looked down at me, staring intently as if he were examining my face for any signs I was telling a lie. I felt myself blushing again under his scrutiny and turned to walk towards the sofa.

Myrnin came to sit next to me, close enough that we were touching, and smiled smugly at me. The man's mood swings were worse than Eve's hormone induced moodiness. Now that his ego was fully inflated again, he leaned over and whispered teasingly into my ear, "Will we be picking up where we left off?"

His cool lips against my ear sent shivers down my spine, making goose bumps break out over my arms and tension coil between my legs as images of earlier that day flashed in my mind. Myrnin chuckled softly, likely scenting my arousal, and ran a finger from one shoulder to the other leaving a tingling trail across my exposed skin.

I couldn't let myself be distracted, though. Shifting my body on the couch to face him so I could look him in the eye, I said confidently, "I want you to change me."

To say he was shocked would be putting it mildly. His arrogant attitude from a moment ago was gone completely; his mouth flapped open and closed a few times as he searched for the right words to say. Finally, he said, "You want to be a vampire? Why now?"

The answer to that was easy. I'd spent hours thinking about it. "A normal human life isn't something I'm interested in anymore. I want to have centuries to learn and invent things. I'm tired to having to worry about hurting myself, or becoming tired in the middle of an experiment, or needing to stop to take care of human needs. It just makes sense." I said with a shrug. "Besides, if I wait many more years, I'll start to look aged and who wants to spend eternity looking like Oliver?"

He looked slightly amused at that last comment but didn't say anything. Several emotions crossed his face and I started to wonder if he didn't want to do it. When he continued to be silent, I looked away and said quietly, "If you don't want to do it, it's alright. I'll talk to Amelie about it. She has offered before."

He seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts held him captive when he heard that. "Don't be silly. Of course I'll do it."

Taking my hand in his, he brought it to his lips and kissed the back before saying, "It would be an honor, Cariad."

Happiness flooded through me and I kissed him like my life depended on it.

His soft lips shared the hunger I felt as our kiss deepened. My arms found their way around his neck as he held my waist, pulling my body over to straddle his lap just as we had been a few hours earlier.

His mouth broke away from mine as he kissed along my jaw line and down my neck. My back arched into his touch as he made his way down to my breasts. His hands tugged along the hem of my shirt, seeming to ask for permission. "Yes, Myrnin," I whispered, which was all he needed. My shirt was quickly torn away, exposing my lacy, black bra. I had dressed appropriately hoping this would happen.

He sucked in an unnecessary breath as he paused to take in my scantily clothed upper half. "You've been hiding so much from me."

I could only smile at his words as I fisted his hair to pull his head closer until his lips caressed my skin. Myrnin began running his tongue along my cleavage and sucking on the swell of my breast. He slid the strap of my bra down to pull the breast he was focused on out of its covering. I felt the scrape of fangs against my flesh and whispered, "Do it."

His teeth sank into the soft flesh with only a pinch of pain, which was diminished by the rush of pleasure that came with his bite, sending tingles all the way to my toes. His fangs were placed strategically, so as he sucked on the blood, his tongue also worked my pebbled nipple. Hard evidence of his arousal pressed against my core as he sucked gently on the wound. My hips started to grind against him creating the friction I needed so badly.

Suddenly, our position was switched and I was lying on my back with Myrnin hovering over me. He looked at me intently for a moment before saying, "I want to make you mine before changing you."

My hand cupped his cheek as I gazed into his eyes and said, "I have always been yours, Myrnin, as you have always been mine."

The rest of my clothing was removed in a blur and I watched as Myrnin stood next to the couch undressing. His body was as faultless as I'd imagined, with each muscle perfectly defined. The paleness of his skin only enhanced his beauty, making him appear to be an animated marble statue chiseled to perfection.

"Come with me," Myrnin said with his hand extended to me. I stood and he lifted me up, carrying my upstairs to my bedrooms as I sucked on his neck, nibbling on the sensitive spot just below his ear. When we made it into my room, he tossed me onto my bed and crawled towards me looking like the predator he is.

We made love slowly, passionately as we explored every inch of the other's body. When our lusts were satisfied, we lay in the bed together for awhile soaking up the affection we'd withheld for so long.

Eventually, I leaned back from my spot curled into Myrnin's chest and looked into his deep chocolate eyes as I said, "I want to do it now."

His expression looked pained but he nodded and kissed my before sitting up to lean back against the headboard. He positioned me to sit between his legs with my back against his chest and he gently pulled my hair away from the spot he would bite me.

"This will hurt much more than it did earlier. I will be as gentle as possible, but I am going to have to essentially kill you before I can bring you back. Are you sure this is what you want?"

I leaned my head back against his shoulder and tilted it to the side to expose my neck. "Yes, I want to have eternity with you."

Myrnin kissed my neck and rested his face against mine as he said, "I don't know what I've done to deserve you but I will forever love you."

He wrapped one arm over my chest and the other around my abdomen to hold me still, and then he bit me. The pain was excruciating as he drew my life force out of me. Instincts took over and I began to struggle against his hold in an attempt to preserve myself, but he held tightly. My shoulder became wet and part of my brain registered that his tears were dripping onto my skin. He was crying for the life he was stealing from me.

Darkness overtook me and I gladly accepted the respite from the agonizing pain that overwhelmed my body. Soon, though, I felt a burning liquid dripping down my throat and vaguely heard a voice encouraging me to swallow. Slowly, my mind began working again and I realized what was happening. I latched onto Myrnin's wrist and sucked greedily at the wound.

Consciousness returned to me and I opened my eyes to look at my world with a new clarity. I turned around to look at Myrnin to see he was smiling with unshed tears in his eyes, the striking beauty of his features more apparent with my enhanced eyesight. Taking my face in his hands, he pulled me closer to him and kissed me gently before saying, "Hello, Cariad."


End file.
